A band, or a battleground?

So Shen Yihan tried to take the initiative to close the distance: "I specifically looked up your information before I came, and I know you. To be honest, I really like your songs, especially 'A Thousand Years Later'."

The four members of the band looked at each other.

Qi Yuan said, "Thank you. How are you feeling now, Miss Shen? Are you tired? If you can keep going, let's try to decide which song to perform tonight, and then start rehearsals tomorrow morning."

Shen Yihan readily agreed: "Of course, no problem. And please don't call me Miss Shen anymore, it sounds too formal. Just call me Sister Yihan!"

“Okay, Yihan, we have two songs now…” Qi Yuan was halfway through his sentence when Shen Yihan made a stop gesture. “Is there a problem?”

Shen Yihan said seriously, "As you all know, I've made a fool of myself with my singing before, so I came up with a solution."

"any solution?"

“That means I’m not singing!” Seeing the four people stunned, Shen Yihan smiled and said, “I tried rapping last night. I found a popular hip-hop song, recited it along with it, recorded it, listened to it, and thought it was pretty good. Otherwise, I would have been too embarrassed to accept the program’s invitation. I really like your band, and it would be bad if I caused trouble.”

Qiu Mengxue was surprised: "You actually thought of this?"

Ning Qianyu noticed a detail in her words: "You accepted the invitation to the show, so you really came for us? So, about that lottery..."

Shen Yihan touched her cheek, a little embarrassed: "Of course you can rig the lottery. When the production team invited me, they told me that I could work with any band I wanted, and they even asked me to name them."

Qi Yuan: "You specifically chose us because you like us, not because of what others said?"

Shen Yihan nodded matter-of-factly: "Of course, if it weren't for you guys, I would have refused anyway. Knowing I can't sing, why would I go on stage and embarrass myself? I'm not that deserving of being scolded. Besides, I listened to your ancient-style song, and it had some rap-like parts..."

As she spoke, she noticed that the four members of the band looked at each other and exchanged subtle glances.

Shen Yihan, of course, had no idea what the four people meant by exchanging glances—it wasn't a scheme orchestrated by capital to harm them, but rather that a female celebrity was eager to try her hand at rapping on stage.

She was just guessing that the four children might be a little nervous and unable to relax in front of a big star like her.

So Shen Yihan said again, "It's okay. I'm a layman when it comes to music. You are the professionals. I'll follow your arrangements."

Qi Yuan waved his hand: "We just wanted to say that it's quite a coincidence. The song we prepared is also rap."

Is it also rap?

"Yes, this is what they mean by great minds thinking alike."

Being praised as a hero by professionals made Shen Yihan laugh.

She said, "That's great! I heard it when I came in. You prepared two songs, right? Can I hear them?"

“Oh, no problem. Let’s just play the melody I mentioned earlier. Chiba, just use a simple time signature. Nocturne is in 4/4 time, and In the Name of the Father is in 6/8 time.”

As Qi Yuan spoke, he handed the guitar to Qiu Mengxue. Ning Qianyu also picked up the drumsticks and sat down behind the drum set.

Seeing this, Shen Yihan looked at Jiang Yi and asked, "Don't you need a bass?"

Jiang Yi's eye twitched: "It's a simple demonstration, not a stage performance, so we don't need a bass. Besides, we haven't even written the bass sheet music yet."

Shen Yihan didn't think much of it and didn't say anything like 'whether the bass is important or not' as Jiang Yi had imagined. Instead, she sat down on the sofa and became a serious listener.

Then Qi Yuan first sang "Nocturne", including the rap verses and the melodic chorus.

Despite the extremely rudimentary instrumentation and the fact that the chorus lacked any melody and was essentially just a cappella singing to the beat of the drums, Shen Yihan still showed an expression of amazement. She cupped her face in her hands, her eyes wide, looking every bit like a little fan.

And after Qi Yuan sang "In the Name of the Father" again...

Shen Yihan exclaimed, "You're really amazing, Qi Yuan! Did you write these two songs too? I think you could totally participate in The Rap of China. Those professional rappers can't compare to you at all!"

Qi Yuan smiled and said, "That won't work. I don't know how to freestyle."

Qiu Mengxue put down her guitar and said, "Then let's split up tomorrow. Qi Yuan needs to find Teacher Zhou to refine the arrangement, and we'll practice rapping with Sister Yihan."

Shen Yihan raised her hand: "Uh, wait a minute, I have another question. Both songs are great, so which one should I choose?"

The four members of the band looked at each other again and exchanged a determined look.

Then Qi Yuan said, "In the Name of the Father. This song is more difficult, but it better reflects what we really want to perform."

Ning Qianyu added, "We've had enough of those shady dealings and underhanded schemes. Even if we can't actually fire a shot, we should at least give them a good blast with gunfire."

Shen Yihan was stunned.

Gunshots?

What are they talking about?

Is it possible that there are gunshots in the song?

No, they're going to make music, right? Why do they seem so menacing?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

080 Band Ruthless

"You little rascal, you really bring a new surprise every round."

After listening to the minimalist instrumental demo of "In the Name of the Father," Zhou Taishan couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

At this moment, the two were in a small, home-style restaurant with only four tables and a small private room, but it was highly recommended by Zhou Taishan.

After sitting down in the private room and tasting a couple of bites of the food, Qi Yuan understood why this veteran rocker had given it such high praise—the food at this restaurant was indeed delicious.

Zhou Taishan then brought out some liquor, but it wasn't beer; it was baijiu (Chinese white liquor).

He asked the waiter for two identical small glasses, but the amount of wine poured out was completely different. One was almost full, while the other contained only a few drops, not even half a glass.

Sure enough, Zhou Taishan kept the full cup for himself and placed the other cup in front of Qi Yuan.

Qi Yuan said helplessly, "Drinking in the middle of the day, Teacher Zhou?"

“Good food goes well with a little wine,” Zhou Taishan said with a slightly embarrassed smile. “I don’t have anything to do today, and I won’t drink much, just two glasses.”

Qi Yuan said, "How can there be no important business? I need to arrange the music for this song and start rehearsals as soon as possible."

Zhou Taishan picked up two bites of food with his chopsticks, chewing as he said, "Okay, no problem. Tell me again how you want the music arranged?"

In Qi Yuan's previous life, this song was among the most frequently listened-to songs on his personal playlist. Back then, he didn't understand music theory and didn't realize how sophisticated its arrangement was. Now, as he sorted through his memories, he said earnestly:

"This song is not a simple loop of verse and chorus. First of all, the intro is quite long, including Italian prayers, soprano arias, organ and piano, as well as the timbre of a sine wave lead. These extra instruments are mainly played on the MIDI keyboard."

Zhou Taishan: "Is this just the prelude?"

Qi Yuan nodded: "Yes, it actually includes bells and gunshots. For things that musical instruments can't do, we add external sound sources and attach them to the keyboard."

Zhou Taishan pondered for a moment, then picked up his wine glass: "And then?"

Qi Yuan: "Guitar chords as the base, minor key chords."

Zhou Taishan: "A folk tune?"

Qi Yuan: "Yes, it's mainly in E minor, to create that sense of danger like in a gangster movie."

Zhou Taishan: "I understand, then what?"

Qi Yuan: "The whole piece is mainly in 6/8 time, but at some key points, triplets of 3 or 4 beats are inserted, such as the section 'We are all guilty, committing different sins', which has a stronger rhythmic change."

Zhou Taishan: "Where's the bass? How about some slap?"

Qi Yuan: "That's not necessary. The bass just needs to keep up with the kick drum; the key is stability. This song is mainly rap, so the rhythm has to be steady. Besides, a lot of the lyrics will still be delivered by Shen Yihan."

"Are you not very confident in your bassist's skills...?" Zhou Taishan thought for a moment, then changed his words, "Never mind, it's nothing. What about the bass drum?"

Qi Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Once we get into the chorus, the drumbeats need to be fully unleashed, give me a good cymbal bash. I want that atmosphere of lonely struggle, the feeling of a mafia godfather."

"Oh, I see..." Zhou Taishan suddenly slammed his wine glass on the table. "You're probably just making fun of me!"

Qi Yuan was taken aback: "Huh?"

Zhou Taishan pointed at him and yelled, "You didn't ask me to arrange music for a band, this is arranging music for a movie! I don't even have this many requirements when arranging music for movies!"

Qi Yuan: "Are these too many requirements?"

Zhou Taishan gritted his teeth and said, "The key is that there are so many requirements in just a few minutes of song, and they also have to fit your lyrics and main melody... I'm really speechless. Why did I agree to do your hard work in the first place? I was clearly the mentor!"

Qi Yuan scratched his head: "Really not going to work? If it really doesn't work, then forget it, let's change the song. This 'In the Name of the Father' is still too—"

“I didn’t say no!” Zhou Taishan interrupted. “I also want to hear this song, but I need to vent my emotions right now. Damn it, you’re wasting your talent playing in a band. You should be a client. You’d be a ruthless guy that all service providers would find troublesome.”

Qi Yuan smiled awkwardly: "Teacher, you flatter me. So, could I trouble you with this arrangement?"

Zhou Taishan picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp, then put it down, wiped his mouth, and said, "I agree. But if I go through all this trouble to help you, and you still can't win the championship..."

Qi Yuan decisively said, "Then I'll be your henchman. You tell me who you want to fight, and I'll grab a stick and kick down their door!"

Zhou Taishan looked bewildered: "I don't need to fight..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Qi Yuan and Zhou Taishan chatted for a long time, and what was initially agreed upon as two cups turned into half a bottle.

However, considering Zhou's brilliant achievement in arranging "Hair Like Snow" after getting slightly tipsy, Qi Yuan didn't say much. He just took a taxi to send Zhou home and told him to take care of himself.

Then Qi Yuan took a car back to the entrance of the villa area. As soon as he got out of the car, he encountered a guest who had been eagerly waiting for him.

Sun Man of Jufeng Music.

As soon as she saw Qi Yuan get out of the car, she came up to him and asked, "How have you decided on the contract from last time?"

"Sorry, I've been busy preparing the songs for the competition lately and haven't had time to think about the contract. How about this, after the next round of the competition and before the semi-finals, the production team should give us more rest time, and we can talk about it then."

After saying that, he walked into the villa area.

Qi Yuan was certainly in no hurry to sign a contract. The further the competition went and the more Chunriying progressed, the more bargaining chips she would have. Why rush to sell before the price increased?

Previously, there was concern about being manipulated by capital, but since drawing Shen Yihan in this round was not due to capital manipulation, but rather something Shen Yihan herself did, there's really no need to rush.

However, Sun Man, following behind Qi Yuan, hurriedly said:

"Are you free now? I can explain that contract line by line and completely dispel your doubts."

Qi Yuan: "Isn't there a need to be in such a hurry?"

Sun Man: "To be honest, my main concern right now is that other companies will come knocking on our door. I was the first agent to take a liking to Chunriying, so I can't just give her up, can I?"

Qi Yuan was about to make up another excuse when he suddenly felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He took it out and saw that it was Qiu Mengxue calling.

He took a few steps away from Sun Man to create some distance, and when the call connected, he was even more surprised.

Qiu Mengxue said, "Liu Weiting from Tianhua Entertainment came to our dorm just now, and she's sitting there trying to get on my mom's good side."

Qi Yuan asked in a low voice, "Why did she come? Is she also trying to urge us to sign the contract?"

Qiu Mengxue: "I guess so, but she pretended very well, as if it were just a simple chat and making friends."

Qi Yuan suddenly raised an eyebrow and smiled: "I've got an idea. Are you all in the living room right now?"

Qiu Mengxue: "Yes."

Qi Yuan: "Could Teacher Su take Liu Weiting to the study upstairs?"

Qiu Mengxue: "Why?"

Qi Yuan said with a smile, "Because I just ran into Sun Man from Jufeng, and she was following me back to the dormitory. I have an idea, let's not let them meet for now, and then..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

081 The Story Next Door

When Sun Man stepped into that villa, she had a strange feeling.

Someone was practicing singing in the living room, and it was Shen Yihan, a top female star. That was normal, but what was strange was that Shen Yihan was sitting on the sofa, holding a piece of paper and muttering something to herself. It didn't sound like singing; it sounded more like chanting a spell.

Seeing Qi Yuan and the stranger enter, Shen Yihan looked up and greeted him before lowering her head to continue reading.

As Sun Man passed by, she only heard one line being recited: "A helpless realization can only lead to greater cruelty; everything is for the sake of..."

For some reason, Sun Man felt a chill run down her spine.

It sounds more like chanting a spell.

Qi Yuan led her upstairs and sat her down in the tea room on the second floor of the villa, placing a bottle of mineral water on the table.

"I'm sorry, I've never used the tea set here before. Please make do with some water."

Sun Man forced a smile: "It's alright, water is fine, thank you for the hospitality. Um, let's look at the contract now..."

“There’s no rush,” Qi Yuan’s smile became much more relaxed. “I have some urgent business to attend to. I’ll be right there when I’m done. Please wait here for a moment.”

"Okay, okay."

Sun Man was willing to wait. Getting inside was already progress, so what was a little longer?